Camilo has scored eight goals in 25 appearances this season, a bright point in the inaugural Major League Soccer season for Vancouver Whitecaps FC. And it may go without saying – he is Brazilian, after all – but he’s not the type to settle for ugly tap-ins.
The Presidente Prudente, Brazil, native has earned three Goal of the Week nominations in his first MLS season, and it didn’t take him long to announce his arrival in spectacular fashion. In Vancouver’s third match of the season, Camilo recorded an assist, one of his three on the season, and two injury-time goals in 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City.
WATCH: Camilo pulls one back
That performance earned him the MLS Player of the Week award, as decided by the North American Soccer Reporters, but perhaps more impressive are the 23-year-old’s statistics on the road. In a season in which the Whitecaps have gone 0-10-5 away from home, the Brazilian has notched five of his eight strikes on enemy turf.
Add in the way in which he’s been willing to play as either a striker or a winger without complaint, and Camilo’s value rises further.
“He’s been growing as a player throughout the year,” head coach Tom Soehn told MLSsoccer.com recently. “I think the qualities that you see week-in week-out are his ability to get past people one on one, and his nose for the goal – when he gets a chance he can bury it.
“His set pieces, he’s continuing to work on those – his percentage on target is pretty good.”
Martin MacMahon covers Vancouver Whitecaps FC for MLSsoccer.com.
